Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley stopped at the Union County Republican Party Office in Indian Trail on Thursday, Oct. 22. He pitched tax cuts and regulatory relief to supporters as part of his "Make More Keep More" tour.

The visit marked Whatley's second trip to Union County during his campaign against former Gov. Roy Cooper, The Enquirer-Journal reported. His first stop was Aug. 22 at the Jesse Helms Center in Wingate.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting in North Carolina continues through Oct. 31.

Whatley, a former chair of both the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party, has never held elected office. He told the crowd his top priority, if elected, would be ensuring tax policies that lower what North Carolinians pay.

He also called for regulatory relief for manufacturers and small businesses and said he had worked with the Trump administration to press China to open markets for North Carolina crops, including tobacco, cotton, soy and corn.

"We need to make sure that our trade policies are going to be good for our farmers," Whatley said at the event, according to The Enquirer-Journal.

After speaking, Whatley shook hands with attendees in the front rows. He told The Enquirer-Journal that residents kept asking whether he would fight for their families and communities. He said his campaign had held more than 400 events across 100 counties.

Patty Blaney, chairwoman of the Stanly County Republican Party, traveled to Indian Trail for the rally after county chairs across the region received advance notice of Whatley's visit. "Being a county chair and I had time, I wanted to get up here and show my support," Blaney told The Enquirer-Journal.

Whatley faces Cooper, the former two-term governor, for the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who chose not to seek reelection.

Cooper has led in multiple polls. An Elon University poll released Oct. 20 showed Cooper ahead by 13 points, WFAE reported. A WSOC-TV/WRAL-TV poll conducted Oct. 7-11 put Cooper's lead at 14 points.

Whatley has picked up endorsements from President Donald Trump and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He campaigned alongside Trump at a rally in Greenville on Tuesday, Oct. 20, according to WFAE.

Spectrum News reported that Whatley's campaign shifted toward economic messaging in recent weeks with the "Make More Keep More" events, after earlier stops centered on crime. Republicans have also pulled some TV ad spending in the race, Spectrum reported.

Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate race in North Carolina since 2008, according to WFAE's voter guide. As of June 2026, Cooper had raised more than $26 million compared with Whatley's $8 million.